Ranma 1. In which things go wrong

_Lost and Found_

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><p>It was a warm, sunny morning, and Ryoga Hibiki was lost.<p>

Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Okay. Not working. Plan B.

"Where the _hell_ am I _now?!_" he roared. A flock of nearby birds was sent screeching into the sunrise, a light shower of feathers pooling in their wake. Then silence.

He groaned. Well, the place _seemed _familiar.

Ryoga furrowed his brows, glancing down at his map, then quickly around him. Funny. He didn't know they had Japanese signs in Costa Rica. Or Japanese parks. And where were the palm trees? And those bizarre, lazy monkey creatures? He sighed, defeated.

All he had wanted was a vacation; to taste fresh, tropical air and simply forget everything… forget Ranma, forget Ukyo, forget _Akane_… forget about all of his life's destinations for a while. Forget that he was lost. It wasn't too much to ask, was it? Was it? He looked pleadingly to the sky.

_Please, just once, let me be found instead._

Wait, where did _that_ come from? Ryoga crinkled his nose. Being found. He whispered it to the bench beside him, where the outline of a teenage boy was imprinted in the paint.

"Let me be found." He sort of liked the sound of it.

As if on cue, young woman jogged past him, muttering to herself angrily. Ryoga glanced at her briefly, taking in her shapely hips and legs, her small, perky breasts (upon this observation he had to plug his nose with his bandanna), her short, blue-tinted black hair…

Wait a second.

"Akane?"

"Yes?" The girl came to a halt and turned to look at him. A few seconds passed, then a gasp. "Ryoga!" Her mouth opened and closed comically for a few moments, and he suspected that his must have been behaving likewise only moments before. A blush sprouted up on both of their faces. Finally, she settled on, "… Ryoga?"

They stared at each other. Ryoga gazed down at his feet, uncomfortable, while Akane's eyes bored into him. A bead of sweat plopped onto the pavement with a silent _thud_.

Suddenly, Ryoga felt thin, muscular arms wrap themselves around his waist. Before he could react, the top of her head curled under his neck, and she was shaking, crying silently into his collarbone. He almost toppled backward in shock.

"A-Akane?" He felt embarrassed, and concerned, and jubilant, and terrified; but mostly terrified. If Ranma walked in on a scene like this... "Uh, Akane, where's, um-?"

She stopped crying instantly, and peered up at him with a look he couldn't quite identify. Still, it made him wish he hadn't asked.

"Ran… er, he's not… here." She chuckled awkwardly. "Don't worry."

"Oh." He coughed, looking away. "And… Shampoo?"

She forced a smile. "Is now the proud, incredibly rich owner of a chain of Neko-Ken restaurants. You may have seen a couple of them while you were… you know… She, uh, broke up with Mousse, though." At this, Akane looked away guiltily, and Ryoga felt his mouth run dry.

He tried to swallow. "And… Ukyo…" It didn't come out as a question, but a desire for confirmation. A hope against hope.

Akane chewed her lip, her wide brown eyes filled with pity. He hated seeing that face. Not on her, and not for him. "Maybe we should go someplace and talk, y'know?" she started slowly, carefully. His insides clenched. "Like that place we used to go to get those milkshakes?"

"She's with Mousse now, isn't she?"

She sighed. "Ryoga, I'm so sorry… but…"

He didn't hear her.

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><p><em>"Hey, sugar, don't look so down," Ukyo drawled, clumsily stroking the front of Mousse's long dark hair. It slid through her fingertips like water.<em>

It really is girly_, Ryoga thought bitterly, and then words escaped him._

_Ukyo had once confessed to him that Mousse's hair excited something masculine inside of her. He thought of that now, but only for a moment. His mind couldn't seem to hold any one thought for very long. "He doesn't love me either," his Ukyo continued consolingly. Who was she talking about? He couldn't think of that either._

_Mousse looked up at her with bloodshot eyes. He tilted his chin up, she tilted her head down and slightly to the side, and their lips met. Ryoga closed his eyes._

_Something thick and dark twisted around in his stomach._

_ …_

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><p>"Ryoga!" He barely registered the light slap to his cheek. It was her voice that stirred him.<p>

Akane's eyes were filled with tears, and she appeared to be shaking slightly. Was she remembering, as well? He felt the desire to comfort her and moved to do so, but something in him, the same something that had writhed around in his gut that night, stopped him after a few clumsy steps. It wanted to be as far away from Akane as possible, to send him running right now.

He contented himself with merely keeping his distance. Then her words finally reached his cluttered brain. "She- Ukyo's not with Mousse."

Ryoga blinked. "I- what- she's _not? _But…"

Akane nodded, chewing her lip once again. "It's not as bad as you think, but it's not… well, it's not wonderful, either. She, um, closed down her restaurant and was gone that same night. No one's seen her since."

No one had seen her since.

"Do you think… her and Ranma… ?"

Akane's eyes darkened, and Ryoga suddenly understood how Ranma and every other man on the planet could be so terrified of this tiny girl. He shuddered. "No, that's definitely not likely," he said quickly, waving his hands in front of his face. "Ranma wouldn't do that. Neither would Ukyo. She was over him. And Ranma, well… Ranma…"

"Yeah." Akane's gaze softened. "Ranma." She looked up at him, and he wondered for a while at what he saw in her eyes. "Ryoga…"

The single low murmur set his heart aflutter.

Akane groaned, fumbling blindly for the warmth of the human body beside her. She had already entwined herself around her heat source so thoroughly, she was as a wildflower clinging to the side of a church. Nothing could have pried her away.

She whimpered again. Her fingers clenched and unclenched the bed sheets, and she twisted away from the figure beside her. "No, Ranma… don't… It didn't mean anything, I promise…"

"Ranma. Ranma!" Her eyes snapped open. Even as her heart rate slowed, she continued to stare dazedly up at the ceiling, her hand reaching out to grasp nothing. The seconds ticked by.

Disoriented, Akane sat up and looked about her. She was in her apartment- that was a good sign. She peered groggily down at the body she had been curled up with. It was male, thankfully, with dark hair and a strong build; clearly a skilled martial artist. That was a very good sign.

_Ranma._

For a moment, she had her life back. Waking up in the morning to a sleeping Ranma Saotome had never been in her plans for the future (that she would admit to anyone, anyway), but after that first morning, it had somehow assured her that all things would be right with the world. He may still cheat on her with his cuter, sexier, more talented fiancés, even if he didn't mean it, really, but he woke up to her face. He woke up with her. Never anyone else.

"_Do you think… her and Ranma… ?"_

She frowned darkly.

Then it came crashing down on her. He woke up with her, never anyone else. She could say that, as well. She could. What had happened with Ryoga… was, well, it didn't mean anything.

She chuckled bitterly. It didn't mean anything, it's not what it looks like, I didn't mean for it to happen… she had heard it all. It seemed so unreal to hear the words escape her own lips, and to watch him reject her the way she had so many times when they were both young.

He rejected her. Then that meant this man next to her couldn't be Ranma. And that meant…

Akane had to stifle her scream with both hands. Heart pounding, she carefully maneuvered herself over the man and scanned his face. A gentle, handsome face greeted her, an endearing little fang protruding from his slightly slack mouth. Ryoga. It was Ryoga. She relaxed for a moment, eyes trailing down his bare chest, and then her entire body went rigid.

He was naked, and so was she.

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><p>AN: This little thing does have a story behind it, so all questions would be theoretically cleared up as the story progresses. Is it worth continuing, though? Please let me know. (:<p>

Also, since this is my first fanfic and first piece of writing (outside of school) in, ohh, three years or so, constructive criticism is greatly appreciated~

Thanks!


	2. Dealing with emotions

_Lost and Found_

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><p><em>Okay. It's okay. Just <em>breathe. _Nothing happened (that I know of, anyway, but I'm going to take it as a good sign). After all, this sort of thing happens all the time. _Akane scowled at that last thought. This sort of thing did seem to happen with an alarming regularity.

Heartbeat still racing, the young martial artist slid silently over Ryoga's inert form and planted both feet on the floorboards. The soft creaking sound they produced made her breath catch. She waited, drowning in the sound of her heart, but the body lying in bed didn't stir.

_Phew._

She allowed herself to relax slightly. After a few moments of botched attempts at breathing, Akane could feel the adrenaline dwindling away and an impressive migraine curling around her skull. She wondered, vaguely, what had transpired the night before, but the thought caused her mind to moan in protest and so she simply stopped thinking.

A calm detachment overtook her.

Ryoga would need clothes. She still had some of Ran- some of his clothing, and they would probably fit him okay; maybe a little tight, but better than nothing. She would bring him some orange juice, if the cause of this little catastrophe was what she thought it was.

What would have convinced her to, though, after… ? She derailed that train of that with as much strength as she could muster. But what, though? A face hovered just out of focus in her mind's eye, but she couldn't place it. A sharp pain shot through her brain and she put the question out of her mind.

There were plenty of other things to think of. For example, did she want to be there when he woke up?

Akane turned her head, taking in the image of an innocent, slumbering Ryoga lying halfway out of the covers with his mouth ajar. His bare chest rose and fell easily. Akane could feel a blush permeating her cheeks and she looked away.

Did she want to disturb an image like that? Part of her certainly wanted to. How _dare _he think to take advantage of her, getting her drunk and bringing her home to… to… whatever they did _(please let it be nothing!)_, after all she'd been through! How dare he do that to Ukyo!

The face suddenly flashed clearer in her mind, and Akane nearly flung herself into the toilet in her haste to empty herself.

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><p><em>The bathroom smelled like lilacs. It was a deep, cleansing scent, that almost but not quite drove the stink of alcohol from her nostrils.<em>

_She inhaled deeply, gratefully, leaning back against the wall and staring into the bathroom mirror across from her. A healthy, well toned, yet oddly weary young woman stared back. She looked… good, in a mature, almost mysterious way. But not young, fresh and spirited. Not the Akane that boys would fight for each day._

Macho chick, built like a brick, thighs too thick…

Thud. _Her heart painfully missed a beat. Shaking her head, Akane pushed those thoughts out of her mind and examined herself more closely._

_The gray streak had been well hidden, she had to admit, amidst her short blue-black mane. Still, it seemed to gaze piercingly through her whenever she caught sight of her reflection. There was something almost accusatory in those few silver strands. Akane looked away._

_She would have to retrieve Ryoga soon. He may have a stomach of iron, but he was still a lightweight, as far as she was concerned. The last thing she needed was a repeat of Ryoga's last drinking experience, and hers as well, for that matter._

_But he deserved a little while longer. After all, Ukyo didn't close her restaurant. She burned it to the ground._

_The sound of a stall door slamming against tile made her jump. Akane turned to snap at the offending young woman, but was stopped short when she caught sight of the girl's face._

_She was cute, in a beautiful, masculine sort of way. Thick, rich brown locks were cropped slightly above her chin, curling forward just so to expose the creamy flesh of her ears. Her eyes, however, were wide and uncertain, like a young girl in ribbons and overalls._

"_Oh my god," Akane spluttered. "U-Ukyo?" _What is _she_ doing here?

_The woman's eyes widened for a split second, and Akane was certain. "Um, I'm sorry," the woman said a little too casually, "but I think you have me confused with someone? Have you, uh, been drinking?"_

_Akane's lip quivered only slightly. "Ukyo, I haven't touched a drop in three years."_

_Ukyo now looked on the verge of tears. There was resentment in her eyes, and hurt written all over her face, and suddenly, Akane felt the same wave crash over her._

_Together, their arms opened and they allowed each other in. Ukyo's sobs were stormy and uncontrolled, and Akane was nearly pulled to the floor as she steadily wept, but each stood there, holding one another._

"_I'm so sorry," Akane whispered. "I'm so sorry about Ryoga."_

"_I-I don't give a-a d-damn about that ja-jackass," Ukyo choked out, burying her face in Akane's hair. "Why w-weren't you a-a-angry? God d-damn it, if you ha-had just been a-angry, thi-things would ha-ave been…" She broke off, letting out a whimper. "N-none o-of this…"_

_Akane nodded her head, but said nothing. She had reached for anger, as she always had, and there was nothing for her to grasp. People had even likened her to Kasumi, of all people. It had been a dream come true to hear such praise, yes, but at the same time, it just felt completely wrong. As a young girl, that was all she wanted, the poise, the perfection, to be the ultimate flower of womanhood as Kasumi was. But the reality suffocated her, until she was no longer Akane at all. She was… empty._

_Gradually, Ukyo calmed down, and Akane was pulled from her thoughts. "So. Is he with you?"_

"_Is who with me?" she responded._ Please, please don't ask about him.

_She didn't have to worry. "Ryoga." Ukyo bit the name off shortly, cheeks flushed in anger, eyes bright with tears._

_Looking at Ukyo, Akane felt a welcome spike of fury, toward both herself and the lost boy she currently held in her custody. Even its brief presence was enough, she realized, to restore some of the pieces of herself she had lost. It was indescribable sensation, but she very nearly smiled at it anyway._

"_The idiot's probably still out there drinking," Akane explained, gesturing toward the bathroom door where the muted sounds of a bustling bar were still wafting in. "I told him about your restaurant. He's… er, kind of a wreck."_

_Ukyo nodded, looking down. "He told me what happened. I'm sorry, hon. I blamed you at first… but… it was rotten from the start, wasn't it?"_

"_Don't say that!" Akane exclaimed, but Ukyo shook her head._

"_No, it was. He's always wanted you._ They've_ always wanted you." Akane cringed at the bitterness she heard in her voice. Ukyo continued, oblivious, "I knew that, and I jumped in anyway. I didn't swim very well, either."_

"_Probably not as awful as me," Akane muttered and Ukyo chuckled softly._

"_Maybe not. But you and Ranma… I'm so sorry we all ruined your anniversary."_

_Akane blinked back more tears. "Ukyo… what happened to your hair?"_

_She stiffened, seeming to draw back inside of herself. "I just felt like a change, is all." Then she tilted her head to look at Akane more directly. "Sugar, I… I think you should know._

_Ranchan wrote me."_

…

"_I'll escape out the back, hon. Please don't do anything stupid, alright? And… and take care of him…"_

"_Okay…"_

…

"_Ryoga…"_

I want to get back at all of them…

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><p>Akane sat crumpled at the foot of the bed, staring into the floor. She had almost slept with Ryoga. Almost. She knew with certainty that that line hadn't been crossed, but it couldn't erase the rest of her actions. Or the 'almost'.<p>

_He woke up with her. Never anyone else._

Anger touched her shoulder, gently at first, like an old friend. She glanced back at Ryoga, and the hand tightened. It wasn't his fault. It wasn't his fault, no, but he was lying there, peaceful as death, in the place where he- where _Ranma_ used to wake up beside her and see her face in the morning. Ranma, who had contacted Ukyo, and not her.

She had to leave this apartment. Right now.

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><p>Ukyo sighed once again. She had been pacing her hotel room that entire morning and most of the previous night as well. Heading for the door, stopping herself at the thought of what she might find. She didn't know if she could handle finding Ryoga with her <em>again<em>.

_Someone up there must hate me, _Ukyo thought miserably, glancing upward. Her first time back in Nerima after an entire _year, _finally ready to deal with things at her own pace, and who does she run into on the first night?

Ugh. And what had possessed her to tell Akane about the letter in the first place? The final chance to "one-up" her, once and for all, even after all of her plans to make amends? Even after saying she didn't care about Ryoga _or _Ranma? Was that even true? _No_, a tiny voice insisted. But she filed it away for later.

Watching Akane's doe-eyed face as she described the contents of the letter, Ukyo could easily say that it was the least triumphant victory she had ever experienced. All the bitterness that had resurfaced upon seeing _her, _one year later, had all evaporated in that instant. And so she backpedaled, saying it was proof that Ranma had always been a scumbag. But by that point, Akane probably wasn't listening. Stupid girl.

She shouldn't have left Akane alone with Ryoga in a place like that, Ukyo decided, feeling a small pang of jealousy that she roughly tossed aside. Especially not after telling her about Ranchan's letter. It seemed odd, she thought, to still think of him as Ranchan, three years after his disappearance (or "training trip", as the note had claimed) in the wake of the anniversary disaster. Four years after realizing he truly had chosen someone else. Memories of the wedding made her chest ache. Still, he was Ranchan.

That thought warmed her heart slightly.

He had wanted to meet her, the letter said. Clandestinely, not that that was the word he used. He simply "didn't want the others involved." But she couldn't do that to them, or herself; she wasn't playing that game anymore. They could all just sort this mess out without her. So she disappeared as well.

Ukyo couldn't adequately describe the feeling of watching her hair tumble to the floor that night. It would help with her disappearance, certainly, but there was also a feeling of liberation in every slice. Her hair was thick and glossy, an object of femininity, and hardly a day went by without some boy drooling over it or reaching out to touch it. Of course, she wouldn't have paid any attention; it was only Ranchan's opinion that mattered, and he never gave it a second glance, the jackass. So she hated it and cherished it. Now, she wouldn't have to do either.

Then there was her giant spatula. It had gone up in flames with the restaurant, and the locks of hair on the counter. She wouldn't be needing it anymore.

All of her burdens cast aside, she should be happy, right?

Right now, it didn't matter. If she knew Akane, which she wasn't sure if she did anymore, the girl seriously needed rescuing. She had said she was fine, and she had _looked_ fine, more than fine, but thinking back on it, Ukyo realized her mistake. Akane was never fine when she said she was. That was a lesson Ranma had learned the hard way.

And what if she didn't like what she found? Honestly, when had she ever? Besides, it wasn't like she truly cared about what Ryoga did anymore. Or any of them, for that matter. Right. Definitely not.

But it was time to clean up her share of the mess, at least. She sighed. _So much for dealing with things at my own pace._

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><p>AN: This should clear some things up, but not everything. Please review, and thanks for reading. (:<p> 


	3. Without you

_Lost and Found_

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><p>By the poolside, a cell phone rang.<p>

Seconds later, a young woman rose out of the water, tossing her head like a show horse vying for attention. She held herself with incredible care, despite the privacy of her sweeping backyard where the pool resided. The cell phone wriggled on the concrete, impatient. She scooped it up with a dripping hand.

"Hello, Shampoo speaking."

She was a fruit at its ripest. The once light, cutely squealing voice had become full, dignified and sensuous, the rest of her body following suit. Her breasts and hips had both swollen, and her face had attained a mature, chiseled perfection the likes of which would fell even the most chaste man. To complete the picture, her long, lavender mane was pulled back in a painstakingly constructed braid. It had likely taken the entire morning to perfect.

But that was alright. She had a lot of time on her hands nowadays.

"Great-Grandmother! Nihao! Oh, it's been too, too long." Now excited, Shampoo pulled herself up onto the edge to sit, legs submerged. "Er, too long."

A chuckle tinkled through the phone. "Yes, child, and I see your Japanese has come along wonderfully in that time. You have done much for the progression of our tribe, remaining there in Japan."

"Yes," Shampoo responded simply, happily, watching the water.

"And how is America, eh?"

Shampoo smiled. "It is different than Japan. More space, especially out here. Not as much space as home, though."

"I would imagine not. And how long do you plan to stay, child?"

"It depends. Is there something going on at home, or in Japan?"

"Yes, well, it appears that…" A pause. Shampoo frowned; her great-grandmother didn't usually pause unless something had managed to rattle her. Her years were many, and as a result that list was few. Not a good sign. Cologne continued, "It appears that Mousse has returned, to the tribe, looking for you to… reclaim you, as it were."

Shampoo was sure her heart stopped for an instant. Then red hot Amazon blood boiled in her veins and she snapped, "Mousse return, you say? Mousse think he can play around with Spatula Girl three year ago and take Shampoo- take Shampoo sloppy seconds?" She blushed briefly at the crude expression, then slipped entirely into Chinese. "Well, Mu Tsu can go and _fuck himself._" She huffed, satisfied. _And so can Ranma, for that matter._

She remembered the indignation she had felt upon that first letter. It had been just around the time Ukyo's restaurant was destroyed in a fire, about a year ago.

He had wanted to meet her. A secret rendezvous, although in actuality he had simply scrawled out the words "don't want the others involved", which irritated her even more. She held no grudge against Ukyo besides a few spatulas in some uncomfortable places, and in fact had come to think of Akane as something of a naïve little sister in the brief year following the wedding. Her business was just taking off, the Council was becoming more restless and Mousse was becoming more and more handsome each day. Where did Ranma fit in her life? All she could do was stay strong and carry on. It was the Amazon way.

Then things had started to look up. Once they realized she had found her own path, the concern of her tribe had instantly turned to support. They would receive much from her successful career; more than they would receive from a Saotome heir that could easily prove too powerful for even the entire tribe to control.

Then Mousse proposed, and she decided she wasn't ready, and they continued to court. It was far more rewarding than her "courtship" with Ranma had been.

And life went on. She was still a proud Amazon warrior, and now she was free.

Then the anniversary happened. Rage simmered in her as the memories returned. There were, admittedly, bits and pieces that were still shrouded in a drunken haze, but she knew enough to be furious. For Ranma to butt into her life, again, after all of that and more…

He wouldn't even say what he wanted. And honestly, she couldn't have cared less. She was through with Ranma Saotome, and all of Nerima, and all of the good feelings and bad feelings that lingered there. And _especially_ Mousse.

"Shampoo, child? Are you still there?" Shampoo blinked. Her voice was laden with a concern Shampoo had never heard from her great-grandmother before.

"Y-Yes, Great-Grandmother, I'm still is he now?"

"Ah, yes, well. There was something… off about him, I'm afraid." The pause did not escape Shampoo's notice. "We informed him that you had not returned to the tribe, and his eyes grew very cold, a coldness I had never seen in him in all of the dirty looks he gave me. All of which were deserved, I suppose." Cologne chuckled again.

"I… see. What did he do then?" Shampoo asked quietly.

"He thanked us, apologized for his intrusion, and left. A few were sent to follow, since he is one of our own and we were concerned about his unusual state. Somehow, he lost them all. We don't know his whereabouts." Another pause. "I am sorry, child."

For some reason, a chill ran down her spine. Shampoo had never thought of Mousse with fear before, but she had a terrible feeling about this. Mentally squashing her unrest, Shampoo managed a steady voice for her great-grandmother. "It is alright. Mousse will never give up on the one he loves." That sounded strangely ominous, though, so she continued, "But I have my own life now, and he's not part of it. We all have to carry on. It is-"

"The Amazon way. Yes, child, I know," Cologne said gently. "But Mousse may have forgotten. So you must take care of yourself, yes? You're a warrior, and, as you say, this is your life. The first is something all of us Amazons must hold true in their hearts. The second, however, is your truth."

"Great-Grandmother?"

"I'm just rambling on, dear. I… I'm not as young as I used to be. Do take care of yourself, and enjoy the rest of your time in America. Good-bye, child."

"Wo ai ni." _Click._

Shampoo sighed. Proceedings had gone splendidly in America; her chain of restaurants would be arriving soon.

She was supposed to return to Japan tomorrow.

* * *

><p>The dojo had been abandoned for three years.<p>

It wasn't particularly obvious, as the dojo had suffered many insanities in its long career and had been in an almost constant state of disrepair. In all its years of both mistreatment and devotion, however, the dojo had never sat in solitude.

The walls stood in preparation for an impact that would never come. The roof lay solidly over the structure, dutifully protecting against rain, but secretly craving the unconventional exits that would remove any pretense of shelter. Birds' nests came and went. Plants grew unchecked.

A dark, troubled aura seemed to thicken the air around the entire area. It was a place most simply avoided.

_Crash!_

From inside the dojo, a cinder block smashed through the ceiling and out onto the sidewalk, the pavement shattering upon impact. An old practice dummy clattered alongside it, the head snapping off and sailing into the stratosphere. More bodies, in various states of dismemberment, were slowly heaped together in the street. Angry cries filled the air, some sounding suspiciously like "Idiot!" or "Stupid macho bastard!" or "Pervert!" and the occasional, "You reckless hormonal _married _SLUT!", neatly preceding each crash landing. The sun peeked out discreetly from behind a cloud.

Another dummy plummeted into the sidewalk, and the sun disappeared behind the clouds once again.

Akane paused, for a fraction of a second, to wipe a bead of sweat from the corner of her eye. Then she lunged forward, fierce and fast and wild, tearing the heart out of the final practice dummy with a savage snarl. The dummy seemed to pause, suspended in time and space, before toppling gracefully to the floor of the dojo in final defiance of her frenzied rage.

Akane held her combat position, turning to the cinder blocks that still lay in a neat pile in the corner of the room.

With a grunt of effort, she hefted half the pile to the center of the room to form a new stack. She eyed them for a moment, licking her lips, a hunter and her quarry. Focus flickering in and out, in and out, Akane took aim and brought her arm down. The sound of cement and bone splintering spiraled upward out of the holes in the ceiling, a cacophony of destruction.

Akane didn't cry out in pain. She crossed the distance to the remaining pile of blocks and performed the same ritual. In the wake of their demise, she discovered a few more blocks cowering in the utmost corner of the dojo.

This time, the howl of agony tore itself from her throat, and Akane at last took notice of the blood trailing down her arm and onto the floor. Then she took notice of her hand, and the horrifying state it was in, and screamed a second, conscious time.

And then she doubled over and vomited for the second time that morning.

"Akane!"

She remembered her father guiding her hand to the breaking point of each block, so many years ago. Telling her not to overexert herself. She had scoffed at that, of course.

_So headstrong, _they had said.

"Akane!"

Now someone was calling her name.

"Ranma…" she mumbled. She felt hands on her, and felt her mind drifting. "N-nuh… don't tou..."

She heard a mumbled expletive. Then silence. Then, directly in her ear, "Stay awake for me, okay, sugar?"

"N'yes," Akane whispered, and promptly fell asleep.

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><p>AN: So I'm using lines and stuff this time instead of those ugly -x- things. Exciting, right? (Right.)<p>

How is my westernization working out? I don't want to make the story scream "someone from the western hemisphere wrote this", but I'd honestly rather have that than butcher all the Japanese terms and honorifics, etc. What do you think? I'm also questioning the whole "Mu Tsu" thing, since I've seen it spelled so many different ways, so if someone could let me know if I'm just completely wrong on that, it would be awesome.

Anyway, sorry these chapters are so short and so few. Life is kind of a rough commitment sometimes.

Please, please review~


	4. What do you want?

_Lost and Found_

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><p>Akane dreamed, and remembered.<p>

_She was sitting at a metal patio table, feeling inexplicably angry. The sun caressed her bare back, and the sound of giggling children and chattering couples filled her ears, and all of these sensations frustrated her. She wanted to snap at them to leave her alone in her misery, but her eyes were trained on the street, flitting across each face. Her foul temper grew._

"_Where is he? Where is he? He promised he would be here…"_

_Akane Tendo growled low in her throat at the thought of him with another one of his fiancés, and then caught herself. No, Ranma wasn't like that. He wasn't._

_Her head throbbed. Where… ?_

_Ryoga slid into the seat in front of her, resting his elbows on the table. "Akane." He was so boyish, so shy in his mannerisms. Tentatively, the young man reached out to lay a hand across her clenched fist. "Akane, y-you're bleeding."_

_So she was. Blood was seeping through her fingers and onto the table. Akane glanced down at it and responded simply, "I was angry." Ryoga smiled at her, as if in understanding, and then moved to treat the wound. His smile filled her heart with warmth, and then shame. Ryoga was always standing right beside her._

_Blood was dribbling around the edges of her ring. _The _ring._

_Ryoga dabbed at it absently as he bound her hand, but Akane could still see the little beads dappling the gold band. She could feel warm breath on her lips, and leaned forward slightly. A soft pair of lips met her own._

_Her mind was screaming at her, wailing like a siren in her head, but her body had turned a deaf ear, and she felt the layers of clothing between her hot flesh and his melting away. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Ukyo slicing her hair away, lush brown locks falling neatly to the sidewalk. They turned blue-black just as they landed. Her heart ached._

_"Akane." At the sound of Ranma's voice, Ryoga seemed to evaporate into the air. Akane was sitting naked at the metal patio table. All sounds were gone now but the deep rumble of his voice._

_He sighed. "Goddamn it, 'Kane. If it's not me, it's you, and if it's not us, it's someone else." His great blue eyes were piercing. "Everything… it's all just in the way. It's not something I can fight. I… shit, 'Kane, you know that's all I know. I fight for you, because I-I love you."_

_She stared, helpless._

_"So what do I do now? I can't fight _you _for you. You're _all _just so… so lost.I'm the only one who knows what I want. And I-I want you. I… that's it , Akane. But what do you want? What do all of you want? I just can't… 'Kane, you know I…" He took a deep breath, scratching the back of his head, looking so reluctant to speak that she wanted to reach out and touch his lips to shush him. But she didn't, and eventually, he found his voice._

"_This isn't my fight."_

Ranma.

"_I-I'm sorry."_

I don't love Ryoga. Please stay.

"_I…"_

But I don't love you, either.

* * *

><p>Akane Tendo woke up to find Ukyo straddling her, staring worriedly into her face.<p>

"U-Ukyo?"

"Oh thank god," Ukyo cried, burying her face in Akane's shoulder as she had done only the previous night. Akane yelped and blushed despite herself, and attempted to sit up. Ukyo tumbled easily to the side, lying sideways across her lap and staring up at her. "I knew I shouldn't have left you alone," she whimpered, "I'm such a jackass. I'm the shittiest jackass on the face of the planet. I-"

"Ukyo, what… ? What happened? Where am I?"

Ukyo stopped and looked away, showing off her odd, beautiful-masculine profile. "You were angry."

"I was?"

"Yeah. Really angry. Also drunk. And your hands…" Her eyes clouded and her voice trailed away. Akane waited. "What… what exactly happened with you and Ryoga?"

The air was thick.

"Oh. Um." Akane stared down into her lap, not wanting to hurt Ukyo, she firmly told herself, but needing to talk, needing her feelings to spill out into the open like a tipped glass of water. For her sake, and maybe, maybe Ukyo's as well; maybe all of them. "I-I don't know. We didn't do anything, really. But, we did. Uh. Ugh." This wasn't working. She tried again. "It's like, I feel _safe_when I'm around him, like he's not going to run away at a moment's notice. Like I don't have to tie him down… you know?"

Ukyo nodded. "Yeah," she said quietly. "So, then, what actually hap-"

"So that's part of it. But then, there's everything with Ranma. And you, I guess. I, god, I'm horrible, too. Because I knew it would hurt everyone, and I wanted it to hurt everyone, for what they did to… my happiness." At this, Akane's eyes filled with tears. She swiped at them fuitely. "I-I didn't realize… I wasn't… happy… in the f-f-first pla-ace…"

Ukyo held her, this time, as she sobbed.

"I'm s-sorry, Ukyo, I-I-I'm s-so-s-s-" her voice croaked ineffectually, and Ukyo merely shushed her. A million thoughts were streaking through her mind. _So she did_ something _with Ryoga, at least. I don't know what. Could have been no big deal, could have been something huge. Do I care? Do I care? I… I feel like I should, but I don't. I don't care.I understand Akane now. No more getting angry, getting upset._A pink rosiness adorned her cheeks. _She's so small in my arms._ A cold fist clenched around her heart at that.

She thought of Mousse, and his silky black sheet of hair tickling her bare stomach, and how heart-wrenchingly beautiful he was. She thought of Akane's sweet, chocolate eyes and the tantalizing glimpse of flesh at the nape of her neck right between her short mane and her modest top. She thought of Ranma's deep blue eyes, but found herself instead picturing them framed in red.

She thought of her father and his chilly, appraising stare, that fateful day. It had only been for a moment, and then he had murmured sympathetically into her ear, saying how her Ranchan couldn't even call himself a man if he couldn't commit to such a flower as her. But she felt it. Her femininity had been stolen that day. She needed Ranma, needed him in order to restore it.

But Ranma didn't want her. He wanted the tomboy, macho chick, thighs too thick, built like a brick. He didn't want his "cute" fiancé. Ryoga? Ryoga didn't want her, either. He only ever had eyes for Akane, too stupid to realize her pet pig and her secret admirer were one and the same. Because underneath her thundering, bull-like exterior, Akane was a sweet, compassionate, and undeniably feminine young girl. Ukyo could never compete with that.

"U-Ukyo?" Ukyo started_. Akane's voice could bring back the dead_, she mused.

"Y-Yeah?"

"I… I don't think I love Ranma."

* * *

><p>"Where the hell am I now?" Ryoga mumbled weakly. He attempted to sit up, felt bile splutter up in the back of his throat and promptly fell back against the bed.<p>

There was something important lurking just behind a curtain in his mind. Guilt and satisfaction, it felt like, but… nothing added up. Those images were just the last tendrils of his dreams, right? Akane wasn't that kind of girl. The last time… she was confused, that was all. And he knew she wasn't thinking of him, anyway. Ranma shouldn't have reacted like that, the bastard.

"_Akane." Her name tasted sweet on his tongue, but not as sweet as she did herself. She met him so eagerly, and their bodies molded together, and he couldn't even remember why this was supposed to be wrong. She whispered his name, occasionally, against his lips. What could be wrong with something like this?_

_Until reality splashed ice cold water into his face. "Mmrannma," she mumbled drunkenly. He pulled away from her then, feeling that twisting sensation once more, but she reached out and drew him back in. "Ranma," she murmured again, and in the single sober corner of his mind and heart, Ryoga silently screamed._

He winced at the was… just confused. After all, Akane was more of a lightweight than he was.

Lightweight…

"Shit," Ryoga growled. "Shit."

But he fell asleep again anyway.

* * *

><p>Shampoo was on a plane back to Japan, where she was now a legal, permanent resident. A flight attendant was trying to ask her if she would like something to drink.<p>

"Mousse," she whispered.

The flight attendant sighed and gave up.

* * *

><p>AN: Soo, a little bit longer this time. Um. Review and stuff?<p>

Thanks for reading.


	5. Transition chapter

_Lost and Found_

* * *

><p>Akane's happiness.<p>

Ukyo had always assumed it was such a simple thing, Akane being a relatively simple girl and all. Deal with the insanity that plagued her relationship with her fiancé. Get married. Have a few brats, run the dojo, grow old and die together. Happily ever after, right?

That was why she, and everyone else, for that matter, felt so damn _guilty,_ after all. That was why she had to fix this. It was such a simple little fracture, wasn't it? Then Akane would smile again.

But no. No, of course it couldn't be that simple. Of course Akane herself was part of the problem.

It made sense, now that she thought about it. Honestly, she'd always wondered how Ranma, the man who never backed down from anything, could simply _walkout_ because of such a stupid situation. Akane and Ryoga were both drunk off their asses. Poor Akane didn't even know where she was or who she was locking lips with, and, well, Ryoga was Ryoga. That wasn't something to end a marriage over. Not… seriously.

So, of course, there had to have been more to it. It made so much sense now.

But it also made things a hell of a lot more complicated.

The low rumble of an empty stomach drew Ukyo out of her thoughts. She glanced up lazily, but stiffened as Akane lifted her shirt to poke and prod at her taut, currently growling belly. Akane caught Ukyo's eye and frowned, misinterpreting her stare. "What? I haven't eaten since yesterday morning, for your information."

"Then l-let's eat out."

Ukyo's face reddened at her own words, but Akane remained blissfully unaware, drawing circles in her stomach with her finger. "Alright," she responded. "How about something for my head first? And I definitely need to brush my teeth. Oh, and I need to shower."

"Uh. Yeah, sure, hon." Watching Akane's irritatingly adorable, oblivious performance, Ukyo felt her spirits lifting, despite everything. "Let me show you to the bathroom, alright?"

* * *

><p>Shampoo was home.<p>

* * *

><p>"I don't exactly have… very good memories associated with ramen, Ukyo…"<p>

"Trust me, hon, neither do I. But it's cheap and it's nearby, right?"

"I-I guess…"

"Come on, let's- holy shit!"

"What?"

"Is that- is that _Shampoo_?"

"In the limo? Yeah, I've seen her around- Ukyo! Shit!"

* * *

><p>"So." Her violet eyes were cold and distant, as if she had literally erected walls between them and her soul. It was a possibility, considering her other abilities. "What you… what do you want?" Shampoo cursed herself silently for falling back into old habits.<p>

A psychotic man-woman hybrid (that turned out to be Ukyo) had come darting out in front of the limousine, nearly causing the driver to suffer a heart attack. In a single motion, she had placed her hands on the hood of the vehicle, stopping it there in the street; much to the driver's amazement, and Shampoo's annoyance. She'd clambered out of the vehicle with as much dignity as she could muster, and was pleased to find that she now towered over Ukyo.

Perhaps Ukyo herself noticed this, since she laughed, hand behind her head, suddenly sheepish. "Uhh… yeah, hey Shampoo. Want a bite to eat?"

Shampoo's eyes narrowed.

It was then that she noticed Akane.

She, Shampoo decided simply, was a wreck; her hand bandaged, lines like great canyons under her eyes, looking even slightly emaciated. Glancing back to Ukyo, she saw the same dishevelment of a woman in crisis. Fellow warriors, in pain. Her heart softened, despite herself.

So this is what the ordeal had done to them. She herself had flourished, wrenching Nerima from her heart, but the other girls had not been so lucky.

Maybe… maybe there was still room inside for them.

"Alright. Climb in, both of you."

* * *

><p>AN: Yeah, this one is really, <em>really <em>short. Sorry about that, and the sporadic updates, people-who-are-actually-following-this-story. I'd list everything in my life that comes before writing fanfiction, but well, you all have/had lives. Forgive me?


	6. The road to happiness

_Lost and Found_

* * *

><p>The Shan Pu residence was extravagant, to say the least.<p>

_Akane wasn't kidding when she said Shampoo was rich, _Ukyo thought dryly, taking in the acres upon acres of scenic Japanese landscape and that- that _citadel _nestled within its catalogue-worthy folds. The home was traditional, with a thatched roof and sliding doors made of paper and wood, but was pristine in its condition, deliberate in its antiquity. She could just glimpse the garden lingering behind the mansion-like home, like something out of a dream, and she took note of the mingling Chinese and Japanese influences.

She had flitted across Japan and even overseas to mainland Asia in the year since her disappearance. Housing was often sparse or, on more than one occasion, consisting of the underside of a bridge as the rolling thunder sang her to sleep. Simply the thought of the likely monstrous _furo_, and other treasures, that lay inside was enough to leave Ukyo mentally drooling and clasping her hands, eyes sparkling. The hotel she'd spent the last few nights had had a Western bathroom and tub, much to her disappointment, and after the first few awkward attempts at lying down, she'd resorted to leaning upright against the tile wall as water cascaded over her.

Akane considered the manor before her, frowning.

Ranma's departure had left the Tendo residence in a stillness that the youngest Tendo simply couldn't bear. She would lay awake, hyper-aware of the houses' settling sounds, which she had once believed would never be audible over the constant din under (and sometimes plowing right through) their rooftop. The sheer _wrongness_ had left her squirming under the covers, and she had moved to her new apartment within the month.

Apartments were typical of single women, she had thought bitterly. But oh, how Shampoo defied these standards. How she defied all expectations placed upon her, marriage and business alike, and simply followed her heart!

Seeing as how it, unlike other hearts she could mention, didn't seem too terribly eager to lead her over the edge of a cliff…

But, she wondered, glancing briefly at Shampoo's oddly dark countenance as she spilled out of the taxi behind them, maybe her dwelling was also a place of emptiness?

"We are here," Shampoo said unnecessarily, nodding to her chauffeur as he pulled away. "Come, I will find us something to eat."

She led them inside, where they all quickly removed their shoes before stepping up onto the main level, and she again waited patiently as they stood in awe of the absolute _hugeness _of each room and the ornately decorated _fusuma _that divided each one. There were several Western touches as well, like the entire kitchen which was far larger and showier than the austere Japanese style, while the occasional Amazonian or simply Chinese flair also abounded. Japanese trends, of course, still prevailed.

All in all, the scrupulous combination of each culture's strengths left a home that was optimal in almost every sense, and lacking in none.

"You are both hungry, yes?"

Akane and Ukyo watched as Shampoo strode purposefully to the refrigerator, cast open its great stainless steel doors and removed a plastic container. She practically glided to the microwave, where she slid the container inside its gaping mouth, pressed one of the multitudes of buttons along its side and waited.

When the beeping sounded, piercing the awkward silence of the room, Shampoo removed the container and brought it to the island counter in the center. She removed the lid with a flourish as Akane and Ukyo drew closer.

They blinked.

"Um…"

"What…?"

"Japan does good Japanese Mexican food," Shampoo explained seriously. "My help have been on vacation since before my business trip. They will not return for some time. In the meantime, I quickly grew tired of ramen."

Akane caught Ukyo's eye.

Soon, none of them could suppress their giggling.

* * *

><p>It was easier after that, they found, to ease back into the sisterly love they'd found for each other after Akane and Ranma's marriage. The food rested easily in their stomachs, despite the oddity of a Shampoo that <em>quickly grew tired of ramen<em>. Ukyo found that especially amusing.

The topic of romance was carefully sidestepped time and time again, to the silent relief of all three women. They began with careers, with Akane detailing her attempts to pick up dancing despite her inherent klutziness. Her companions were skeptical at first, but after a quick performance of a provocative little number from her first appearance in an actual music video, Shampoo seemed quietly impressed and Ukyo was quite flustered.

Following that, Shampoo recounted the tale of her success, with her initial discovery to her sudden moment of maturity when she flatly refused to allow the new company logo and mascot, a somehow even sexier likeness of herself, to appear stark naked from the waist up in America. Her nipples were barely covered, for God's sake! She was willing to exploit herself for the man she thought she loved, or had been until three years ago, anyway, but for an entire country's male population?

"Fuck no," Shampoo snarled viciously.

Ukyo, who they had always assumed would become the cutthroat businesswoman among them, had nothing much to say. Although both Shampoo and Akane would have liked to press her for details on the devastation of her beloved restaurant, they wisely refrained.

"So what are you going to do now?" Akane inquired instead.

Ukyo shrugged. "Dunno. Sounds like you've got a pretty good gig, sugar, and we know Shampoo here's got it made. It's just… I can't do okonomiyaki anymore. I just can't. There has to be something else, you know?"

Akane nodded and Shampoo looked thoughtful.

"They still need stunt doubles in America, especially females. I could get into the acting business over there I guess."

Akane hummed at this. She herself had considered acting, for a while, but had figured, what with her taking over the dojo…

_Don't_, she scolded herself. _You're having fun, letting go, remember? So just… don't-_

She remained ensconced in her dark little thoughts even as Shampoo solemnly declared a tickle fight, and it wasn't until she felt the young Amazon's nimble fingers, like a swarm of spiders on her skin, that she truly did let go.

The rest of the night was spent curled up in Shampoo's master bedroom, watching little child demons upholding the grudges of the deceased.

In the meantime, the grudges of the living melted away.

* * *

><p>"Shampoo? Are you still awake?"<p>

"Ukyo? I do not sleep so soundly at night, I'm afraid. I apologize if I disturbed you."

"No, not at all, sugar. Look, it's about Akane. She out?"

"She is still asleep, yes. Why?"

"Good. Look, I know we've managed to sort of patch things up emotionally between all of us and that's great, but… how would it feel to… _literally_ put some pieces back together?"

"Sham- I mean, I don't follow."

"We fix what we can now, putting Akane back together, and then we bring Ranma back and fix the rest. We then step out of the way, taking all of the rest of the idiots and the crazies with us, and they can finally have their happily ever after so the rest of us can get to work on ours without all this guilt."

"I am not guilty."

"No? So Nerima isn't holding you back at all, eh? Never wake up in the middle of the night reaching for arms that aren't there, hmm?"

"How did…?"

"How did I know? Because I live with it, too, hon. And I _know _that's what Akane lives with. I don't care what she says…"

"Ukyo, you are muttering, speak up. So far I am with you."

"Excellent, that's great. But… uh, yeah, there is one thing you should know, I guess."

"And that is?"

"Akane… kinda doesn't love Ranma anymore."

"… That is… a surprise. But I suppose it was always a possibility. I could not love him forever, either. But then, we are only doing this for ourselves, aren't we?"

"Well… I guess…"

"I know it is what you want. It is what I want, too. It would be the simplest, the cleanest thing. However. If putting Akane back together with Ranma does not bring her happiness, we have not removed our guilt.

"I know the quest for happiness. It is… it is _our _truth, what we Amazons must hold dear to our hearts even above our warrior's path. I understand now. I wished to take that path with Mu- with Mousse, but sometimes, sometimes we must adjust our path. The road to happiness is not always clean and easy."

"Oh, Shampoo… Alright, so what _do_ we do?"

"The best we can do. We lead Akane onto her path, but let her pave the way."

"That sounds so much more complicated."

"It is as I said. The road to happiness is not always-"

"Clean and easy. Yeah, don't I know it."

"Good night, Ukyo. It is… it is good to be your friend again."

"Haha- likewise, sugar. Likewise."

* * *

><p>AN: Soo, that was kind of a wait. I'm sorry, but at least this chapter is twice as long as the last! Also, the plot's finally kicking in! Hurray! I can't predict when the next update will be, since I've got a whole bunch of music-related stuff ahead of me in my schedule, which leaves approximately 0 hours for writing. Heh.<p>

Anyway, review and stuff, thanks so much for reading & being patient! :)


	7. The roadmap

_Lost and Found_

* * *

><p>"Eh? A letter, from Ranma?" Shampoo piped up, leaning across the table to peer curiously at Ukyo.<p>

Ukyo settled further into the booth, twirling her straw. She glanced at Akane, whose fists were clenched underneath the table, her pretty neck stiff and tense. This would have to be handled delicately. "Um. Yeah. The bastard wanted to meet up with me. I… I guess that was the last straw, you know? I just had to get out of Nerima."

"That is interesting. I also received a similar letter from Ranma," Shampoo stated simply, crossing her legs. "He wanted us to meet, as well. Hmph. As if I wanted anything to do with him at that point, leaving Akane like that." She scowled.

Akane brought her drink to her lips, a bead of moisture dripping down her chin. Ukyo's gaze followed faithfully, cheeks slightly pink.

Shampoo's eyes narrowed.

"Ah! Looks like food's here," Ukyo chirped as a waitress trotted towards them, steaming tray in hand.

A few tense moments and forced smiles later, the waitress bustled away. The silence was somehow even thicker in her wake.

No one moved to take a bite of their food.

"Akane, what happened to your hand?" Shampoo asked finally. Akane glanced down at her fist, still wrapped tightly in gauze. Unlike in her dream, her wedding ring had long been hidden away somewhere, and she imagined it must be gathering dust at this point. Her stomach clenched unpleasantly. She wondered if he still wore his, or if he'd sold it, locked it away, dropped it in the ocean, sent it hurtling as far from him as possible, where he was now and if he ever lounged on a rooftop and sighed at the stars, the space next to him cold and empty because she wasn't there. If he missed her the way she did him…

"Ranma never wrote me," she mumbled simply, staring into her plate.

Ukyo and Shampoo glanced at each other. "Really?"

"It looks like it might rain," Akane said, looking out the window. "I didn't bring an umbrella."

Of course, she didn't have to worry about changing form when the downpour came.

"Man, lighten up, Akane," Ukyo drawled, prodding her ribs. "We've got a whole day ahead of us, and not even the rain itself can rain on _this _parade!" She grinned.

"Akane, frowning does not suit you," Shampoo supplied. "It has been years, and you will not grace us with your smile?"

Akane blinked once. Twice. Outside, the clouds cleared slightly. "Oh man, I'm sorry, guys!" She looked suddenly horrified. "I can't believe I've been so rude! Taking advantage of you like this, and I haven't even said thank you!" Her face was completely flushed. "Please forgive me! I promise I'll cheer up, okay?" She forced a wide smile.

"Of course, sugar, we just want to see you happy," Ukyo said.

Shampoo hummed in agreement.

* * *

><p>Okay… so the dress <em>did <em>look good on her…

It felt like a piece of her lost teenage years had been handed back to her, peeking out of the dressing room and then twirling before an ecstatic audience of two. Her two best girlfriends from high school had long drifted out of her life, but even then, they'd never been particularly close in the first place. They'd never gone shopping together like this. Akane always wore clothing that had been thrifted, or handed down, and this had never particularly bothered her. At least, it didn't use to, not until…

Well, her self esteem had definitely taken a nose dive right around his arrival.

The other girls, they were always just so… so stylish! Even Ukyo was neat and clean-cut, with a boyish charm, in her boy's uniform and ponytail. Surely Ranma took notice of that…

_Ah, there I go again, _Akane thought, her smile slipping. She looked in the mirror thoughtfully. Tired appearance, gray streak, new imperfections. And yet, all of the flaws that had plagued her during her younger years seemed meaningless now. Her thighs were toned, not overly-muscular, her waist was little if not as dramatically so as Shampoo or Kodachi, her stomach was flat, and although her breasts had only grown just slightly, she still caught plenty of boys taking a peek during her morning runs. All in all, she could have any guy she wanted, someone who was much less trouble than Ranma. _Argh! Can't I go one day without thinking of him? Of course I can! I'm Akane Tendo!_

"Akane, come out of there and see the dress Ukyo tried on!"

"Coming!" she called, slipping her shirt over her head and pushing the door open.

Her jaw dropped.

It was a small black slip of a dress, clinging to every curve and stopping just at the brink of indecency. Ukyo's short hair was tousled, her face flushed, and she seemed to have thrown the dress on hurriedly in her embarrassment.

"So, uhh… how is it?"

"Oh, Ukyo! You look so gorgeous!" Akane ran to hug her friend, gushing and cooing all the while as Ukyo panicked under the attention.

Shampoo grinned, leaning against the wall. "Ukyo cleans up nicely, yes?"

* * *

><p>Ryoga wandered the streets, lost in thought, until he finally noticed the city melting behind him. Still lost in the tunnels of his mind, he continued his aimless trek until another cityscape came into view. The sunset illuminated the scene before him, the buildings glowing warmly against the hazy sky, as if inviting him in.<p>

Maybe he could find a nice place to stay here? He had no money, but he could work tirelessly for hours, and hoped that would be enough to earn him a night of comfort. He definitely wanted a shower, as well, though only partially due to the dirt and sweat that caked his skin. Akane's smell still clung to him, and though his stomach still fluttered slightly at her scent, and the thought of her hair tangled up in his fingers made his heart stutter, the guilt was too much for him to bear. He'd betrayed her, Ranma, Ukyo and himself all over again all because of this one girl that he could seemingly never keep himself away from.

And she only paid him any attention when her thoughts were on someone else.

_No one ever knows what they really want, _Ryoga thought to himself. _Ranma most of all, and yet _he's _the one who finally washed his hands of it all._

* * *

><p>The darkness settled comfortably on the streets of Nerima.<p>

Ukyo stumbled out of the bar, tears blurring her vision.

She allowed her feet to carry her blindly forward, privy only to the sound of her own blood roaring in her ears, her ragged breaths and her heavy steps against the pavement. She tuned in to this simple melody, step after thundering step, until at last she collapsed in the middle of an empty park. The grass was cold and wet against her bare skin, the darkness a suffocating blanket. Here, unbidden, the sobs racked through her body, leaving her shuddering and whimpering underneath a tree.

They had agreed, not a single drop of alcohol would poison their minds that night. Though the smell of beer was a thick coat around her, she upheld this simple rule. They all had, despite the intoxicating thrum of the club and constant slosh of drinks. Completely sober, all of them. So, that meant… Ukyo shuddered. The poison was _her_. It was her mind, her body, everything about her was toxic, and had been since the day Ranma rejected her as a woman. But she realized it wasn't that. This had always been a part of her, whether she acknowledged it or not. It wasn't even a huge part of her; only seemed so monstrous because she could never look it in the eye, see its real shape and form.

But she had allowed it to fuck everything up, anyway.

* * *

><p><em>"Hey, Akane," Ukyo called over the roar of music, adrenaline pumping through her veins. "Can I have this dance, sugar?"<em>

_Akane giggled in response, allowed herself to be twirled away, held in Ukyo's strong arms. Then her eyes seemed to darken, a single brow arching invitingly. She proceeded to demonstrate all of the skill - absolutely _all - _that she had picked up in her dancing career, and Ukyo could do nothing but gape and attempt to keep up with her. Akane laughed freely, twirling back into Ukyo's waiting arms. "Come on, sugar, loosen up," she teased, sticking out her tongue and tugging at the skin under her eye._

_Ukyo followed the movement faithfully with hungry eyes, as usual, but it wasn't until she felt the warm, plush lips of Akane Tendo against her own that she realized her entire body had followed suit._

_It wasn't really a kiss, more of a brushing of mouths, and it was broken so quickly that it was as if it never was. Still, the deed was done. Stomach plummeting, Ukyo turned and fled the instant they broke contact, not wanting to face the look of disgust Akane was surely giving her._

_The tears came moments afterward._

* * *

><p>"Are you done sobbing, yet?" an impatient voice demanded.<p>

Ukyo jumped, startled. In a hoarse voice called: "Who's there?"

Shampoo dropped down from the tree and into a seated position in front of her. Her wide eyes stared piercingly into Ukyo's. "So. You were the Pervert Girl, after all."

Ukyo stifled a whimper. Looked away.

Shampoo sniffed. "It is not uncommon among Amazons, you know. There is indeed much to love about women, although," she wrinkled her nose, "I cannot say I love them in quite that way. Still, though it may be strange and perverted to some, even many, even to yourself - it is your path, is it not?" Her eyes were suddenly soft, thoughtful. "We have to accept our own truths. We are warriors, and so we must fight, but we are also human, and so we must accept ourselves. This is the road to happiness."

Ukyo looked slowly up at her. "I'm not… I'm not poison, am I?"

Shampoo laughed. "Not unless you want to be! No. You are Ukyo. When you accept that, then you can begin to allow others to accept you. And if they don't, they don't. But Ukyo is Ukyo, just as Akane is Akane, and Shampoo is Shampoo. Yes?"

"I guess so," Ukyo mumbled.

"Are you worried that Akane will no longer accept you?"

Ukyo bit her lip. "Yeah. Definitely worried about that."

"Akane still loved Ranma, even when he was a girl, even if she would prefer him as a man. Akane may not return your feelings, but she will continue to love you as a friend," Shampoo said confidently.

"I… shit, this is insane. I… I'm happy you came for me, Shampoo, but I still need some time to figure out where I'm at, okay?" Ukyo forced a smile.

"Of course. You can find your way back to my home from here, yes?"

"Sure thing."

"Alright. I need to be getting back to Akane, anyway. Her sense of direction is not as keen as yours or mine," Shampoo purred, and in the blink of an eye, she was gone.

Ukyo sighed and leaned back against the trunk of the tree.

"This is really too much."

She wondered when Shampoo had grown so much. The once airheaded, single-minded girl she had so despised in her youth was nowhere to be found in this new woman. The determination was still there, but there was introspection there, too, as if Shampoo had spent just as many long hours training to discover herself as she had training to discover new techniques. Ukyo envied her, decided that she always had, but now more than ever.

A crackling and rustling sound behind her pulled her from her thoughts. She pressed her back against the tree, now fully alert. It was awfully late for a stroll in the park, she thought to herself. "Who's there?"

The figure, now a shadow among shadows, paused for a moment and turned toward her. In that same instant, a beam of moonlight spilled downward, the faint light just enough for Ukyo to make out the face. She gasped. "R…"

* * *

><p>AN: It's finally summer! Hurray! No more school, choir, drama blah blah blah until next year. ... Except now I have no excuses for not updating. Hmm, a quandary.<p>

Well, thanks for reading. As always, please review~


	8. No destination

_Lost and Found_

* * *

><p>Akane touched her lips gently.<p>

Honestly, she never could deal with these things very well, even after the infamous cat disaster, and the tape incident, and the constant love potions and pills and spells…

She'd simply stood there in shock, doing nothing as Ukyo's distraught figure disappeared in the throng of dancers, until Shampoo appeared and flicked her on the forehead. They'd left the bar in silence, Shampoo nodding at her simply and then disappearing into the night, presumably to chase after Ukyo. Which is what _she_ should have been doing, instead of standing at the corner and wondering at all of the strangeness surrounding her life, completely oblivious to the lives of her closest friends.

Akane bit her lip, trembling with guilt. All of this was her fault. To think, she used to get so angry in these situations, boiling over with rage and always laying the blame away from herself. Of course, most of those situations involved Ranma, and she never could quite function properly when he was involved. Really, though, they were both to blame, and neither of them ever realized it. No wonder their fights were never resolved, and the tension just built up around their fragile bond, straining and straining until…

Snap!

Shampoo pulled her hand away from Akane's face. "You were far, far away, Akane. As I was saying, Ukyo will be returning home later on tonight, so there's no need to worry."

No need to worry? Honestly? "R-right," Akane mumbled, looking down at her feet.

"So, we can head back, if you like. It has been a very long night, I think."

Akane only nodded, barely listening.

They walked at a leisurely pace, neither speaking. Shampoo's cell-phone buzzed, and she dug inside of her purse for it. "How is Kasumi, by the way?" she asked suddenly, letting the phone drop back into the bag.

Akane looked up in surprise. "Kasumi? Fine, I guess. She still lives with Dad, runs a daycare now, receives the occasional letter from Dr. Tofu but I don't think they'll ever get together." She sighed. "They're too stupid to work through their problems."

Shampoo smiled to herself, slightly. "I only ask because Nabiki just texted, asking how it was going in Nerima." At Akane's nonplussed look, she elaborated, "Nabiki has been a tremendous help with my business endeavors. Besides, she has the Amazon fighting spirit in her."

"Plays dirty, you mean," Akane grumbled. Shampoo laughed.

"Does your sister live nearby?" she asked. "We should visit her."

"Um. Not too far if we take a train." She worried her lip. "And I guess… I guess I am due for a visit. What about Ukyo, though?"

"I sensed another presence just as I left, and it was quite familiar to me. I am not sure she will be up to leaving Nerima just yet."

"Oh, okay. Wait. What?"

* * *

><p>"Ryoga," Ukyo said breathlessly.<p>

"U-Ukyo? What are you doing here? I mean, wherever here is, I can't say I really know for sure. Where the hell am I anyway? I mean… uh, how are you? How've you been? I… Shit." Ryoga scratched the back of his neck, and Ukyo could barely make out the blush on his cheeks in the moonlight. "Hey."

"H-hey," she said dumbly.

"Do you… wanna walk a bit?" he asked shyly.

She stared at him, slowly processing his existence, his presence before her, his adorable little fang just barely flashing under his lip, his words, those last terrible years of her life when he was a still a part of it. Her eyes narrowed.

"Dammit, Ukyo!" he barked, narrowly avoiding her fist, and cursed again when her next swipe hit him in the jaw. "Knock it off!"

She ignored him, pressing in closer, forcing him to tighten his defense.

"Shit! Don't pretend you didn't already know!" he yelled, ducking under her leg. "You knew I was in love with Akane, and you took me anyway!" Avoided another flying fist. "And I saw you with Mousse! What the hell was that? _Revenge_?" Sidestepped her elbow. "Jeez, Ukyo! What do you care, anyway? I never meant anything to you in the first place! You love _Ranma_, remember?"

"Wrong, jackass!" she shouted, just as he caught her wrist, and her voice dropped to a whisper. "I don't… love Ranma. And I don't love Mousse. I don't even love Akane. I…"

"Ukyo?" His heart fluttered for a moment, but he quickly quashed the feeling.

"I… I…"

"You?"

"- don't know!" she cried, pulling away from him. "I don't know what I want, okay? But I was happy with you, trying to find out what I wanted with you by my side. Just 'cause I'm lost and fucked up doesn't mean I don't want to be with you, idiot! How is this supposed to work if we give up the instant shit happens? Huh?"

She gazed at him imploringly. His mouth felt suddenly dry, and it was a struggle to force his next words out. "… Y'know, I was happy with you, too."

The tension ebbed out of her like running water, spilling away, and she relaxed against his broad chest. They stood together, breathing. "Okay," she said softly.

"_Okay_?" How was any of this possibly okay?

She smiled up at him, and his heart lurched pleasantly. "Yeah," she said. "Let's walk, sugar."

* * *

><p>"What, really? Shouldn't we go and make sure she's okay?" Akane said, starting forward anxiously. Shampoo placed her hand delicately on Akane's shoulder, shaking her head.<p>

"No. It is her truth."

"The hell does that even mean?" Akane growled, pulling away. Eyes wide, she suddenly clutched her face in her hands, moaning. "Ugh. Jeez. I'm sorry, Shampoo, I am just incredibly stressed out right now and there was _not _enough room to dance in that club." She exhaled deeply, sinking down to the pavement. Shampoo loomed over her, silent, until the shorter girl finally spoke again. "Does… does she think I hate her?"

The Amazon shrugged lightly. "I don't think so."

"Really? That's a relief."

"Mm. You do not hate her, I assume."

"Of course not! I'm just… feeling incredibly lost here, y'know? Those letters from… from _him_, what the hell were those about? Why are we all here, since when were you so _not Shampoo_, and since when was Ukyo… like _that_? Why isn't this just _over_?"

"The dead hang around when they have unfinished business."

"Right. How stupid of me. That explains everything." She pinched the bridge of her nose. "Shampoo, _stop talking like a movie character._"

Shampoo tilted her head, confused. "I speak properly, don't I?"

"Ugh. Never mind." She closed her eyes, concentrated on the steady pulse of their footsteps, and trusted in Shampoo to guide them home.

* * *

><p>The note on the front door read: "I still need time. I'm sorry. I don't want to lose you guys, like before. I hope you'll wait for me. Love, Ukyo."<p>

"Are you sure it's alright to leave, then?" Akane asked uncertainly, nibbling on some candy she had found in Shampoo's extravagant pantry.

"We will only be gone for part of the day," Shampoo assured her. "No more than six hours, yeah?" Her smile crooked, eyes glittering mischievously. "I think Ryoga at least should have the stamina to keep her busy for that long..."

Akane choked, face a brilliant red. "Right, I guess we should get going then?" she said hastily, moving toward the door. "Come on, or we'll miss the train!"

Shampoo smiled, enjoying how easily ruffled her little Akane still could be. She happily followed.

Sunlight touched her face as she stepped out the front door. The breeze tousled her hair pleasantly, and she watched as Akane's still-tense figure trotted down the sidewalk ahead of her. She noted the wind tugging at the ends of her skirt and pulling loose the locks of her hair as if attempting to ease all of the pent up tension.

Still, in the light, the gray streak in Akane's short mane glowed angrily. Shampoo sighed. The sky this day may be smiling happily down on them, but they still had a long way to go.

A single leap, and Shampoo was walking in stride with her friend. Akane offered some of the treat, and the two of them walked under a temporary haze of chocolate-induced euphoria. The train station was a fairly sizeable distance away from the Shan Pu residence, but time passed quickly enough for the two young women.

Purchasing the tickets was an easy enough process, and it was smooth sailing from there.

Still. Shampoo glanced over at Akane as the train departed, and her knuckles were white against the support pole. "Careful, or you might leave a dent," she murmured, causing Akane to jump.

"That obvious?" she asked, forcing a chuckle. "Jeez. It's just… Kasumi was… shall we say… more than a little disappointed in me, you know? Not to mention Daddy... Ugh. I'm just a bit…" She bit her lip and sighed. "Yeah."

The train was fairly busy, with many flavors of occupants clutching the poles or standing awkwardly inside the moving vehicle. The lighting was poor, the air stuffy, and the mood generally foul, but Shampoo and Akane managed to remain mostly detached from that reality.

"That, and I'm still worried about Ukyo. I… well, I know Ryoga has about as much trouble making up his mind as… you know." She laughed dryly. "I mean, he falls in love with just about every girl he meets. If it wasn't me, would it be Akari? Or another girl?"

Her voice dropped to a whisper. "That, and… it's pretty ridiculous, but I still have a tiny crush on him. I think I just wish R-Ranma was more like him? Devoted, romantic, that sort of thing? It doesn't excuse what I've done, sober or no, but… lately I've been wondering if maybe he and I could… no, because if I even hint at the possibility he would leave Ukyo, wouldn't he? But then, he's definitely not good enough for her, if she's his second choice, but if he's my second choice, then… argh!" She hit her forehead against the metal pole. "Shampoo-_oo_," she whined. "What do I do?" _I just want _him_ here._

Shampoo licked her lips thoughtfully, and it was a while before she spoke. "Well, we promised we would wait for her. First we fulfill that promise, and we can go from there. If things don't work out between the two of them…"

The crisp, computer-generated voice of the train informed them of their approaching destination.

"We may not be seeing Ryoga for some time, anyway."

A quiet sigh of resignation. "Yeah, I guess."

* * *

><p>The new Tendo residence was well maintained, that much was obvious, but it was a far cry from the original. Smaller, more austere, and most importantly, the familiar aura of chaos that had been swept in with the whirlwind that was the Saotomes was nowhere to be found. All in all, it was… average. Mundane. Not at all like the crazy home she remembered and cherished.<p>

Akane inhaled deeply, steeling herself.

"Kasumi is aware of our visit, but not your father, correct?"

"Correct."

"He's currently out drinking, and is not expected home until much, much later, also correct?"

"Correct."

"How did Kasumi sound when you contacted her?"

Akane winced at the memory.

"That bad?"

Nod.

"Hmm. We proceed with caution, then."

"Yeah."

They stepped carefully to the front door, Akane's body tight and coiled as if she were being marched straight to the gallows. Why did she agree to this? And so quickly, at that? Why did she think Kasumi would have maybe forgiven her, or at least put her ire aside at the thought of a quick reunion with Shampoo? The two had turned out to have more in common than anyone could have predicted, she did admit, and for a brief time, Shampoo came to think of her as both mentor and friend. The Amazon could see why Akane had always admired her, a flower of womanhood. A quick glance showed Shampoo, seemingly poring over her memories of the eldest Tendo daughter. Her expressions flickered too quickly to make much sense of, but she seemed mostly… wistful.

The two, lost in thought, barely heard the click of the door, but both looked up at the soft clearing of a throat.

The woman standing there wore her usual smile, and her usual invitation to join her for a cup of tea was right at her lips, but when her eyes settled on Akane's pale, anxious face, they seemed colder than she remembered. And as the two stepped inside, awkward smiles plastered to their faces, she could definitely feel it. Disapproval poured off of Kasumi in frigid ripples, turning the youngest Tendo's blood to ice. Her sister's love was always a given, that at least was certain, but her approval… that was something Akane craved as desperately as she would water in a barren desert. Struggling to sew, to cook something even remotely edible, her fingers always bore the marks of each of her failures- a roadmap of burns and cuts that never led anywhere. The marks on her heart were worse, because each time, failure pulled her farther and farther away from that precious goal. Because if Kasumi, domestic goddess that she was, approved of her, how could anyone not?

And now, she was farther away from that goal than ever before.

These thoughts stormed inside her head like a frenzy of wasps, threatening to tear through her skull and ravage the room, but Akane calmly and politely raised the cup of tea to her lips. She would see this through. She would.

* * *

><p><em>AN<em>: Getting close to the finish line. I do plan on going back and fixing some of my formatting issues/inconsistencies, maybe doing a bit of editing (I know there are typos in there. I will find them, and I will kill them), etc., and I plan for that to happen once this thing is finished. As always, thank you for reading, please review, please continue to put up with me and things like that. Lalala


	9. The boiling point

_Lost and Found_

* * *

><p>Kasumi could be a frightening person when she was displeased, Shampoo thought to herself. They sat in almost complete silence, with only the occasional polite, yet tense exchange. Akane worried her bottom lip, trying to suppress her anxiety, which felt like a volcano on the verge of eruption. Shampoo observed her quietly, also taking in the older sibling, poised perfectly as she was at the table with her neck elongated like a swan. She marveled at the differences between the two sisters, the way Akane, always hiding behind her wall of anger, was reduced to trembling in the presence of Kasumi; the way Kasumi's lips formed a thin line and her eyes carried an unpleasant chill that Shampoo had never felt from her before, though her expression was placid. It reminded her of a scene she had witnessed in her homeland, a cub groveling at its mother's feet for forgiveness. There was no dignity in that pitiful mewling, she mused.<p>

Her eyebrows furrowed. She wished Akane would stand by her decisions, instead of waffling around almost as much as her once-Airen had. A true warrior forged their own path and held their head high even through every misstep. That was what had freed Shampoo from Nerima, after all. She acknowledged her past, but her eyes always faced forward. She hoped, almost anticipated, that Ukyo would do the same. The girl had already taken steps, albeit drastic ones, to ensuring there would be a future for her, one that she had chosen.

Akane, on the other hand…

A teacup hit the table with a clatter.

She blinked away her stray thoughts, expecting to find Akane on the verge of an outburst. She nearly doubled back in surprise at the sight before her.

Kasumi sat rigidly, her knuckles white as she gripped the teacup. Her hair had fallen over her eyes, veiling her expression, but her lips were still pressed firmly together.

The two younger girls shared a quick glance. "K-Kasumi?" Akane asked tentatively.

"… oh, my," the eldest Tendo said simply, staring at her hands in wonder. She looked up to meet her younger sister's gaze.

Akane swallowed. "Kasumi, I…"

"You know," she interrupted, voice soft but laced with ice. Akane winced as if stricken, and Shampoo raised her eyebrows in surprise. "The family agreement is still hanging in the air."

She licked her lips. "Even though you have decided to walk out, Father has not forgotten. It is a matter of honor that we uphold our end of the contract, whether any of the Tendo daughters possess any feelings for the Saotome son or not. Of course, none of us were able to locate him." Kasumi allowed a brief smile. "I can't say that that surprises me.

"Still, I always knew that you would not be forced into a situation that you didn't want. And so I was always prepared to take your place, if necessary."

Akane looked down into her lap. Kasumi had had a lot riding on her relationship, too, hadn't she? She had never given it a second thought. Her eldest sister had been stuck in limbo, patiently coaching the two of them in the hopes that they would be married and she… well, maybe she still couldn't have the life that she wanted, but there were still small freedoms that awaited her after Akane and her husband took over the dojo. These things, Akane had never even considered them before. She could feel the shame biting at her insides, and the regret for her decisions, and felt herself teetering back and forth, unsure of where to take her next step. She nearly missed Kasumi's next words.

"Father is out drinking nearly every night now, stumbling in through the doorway and calling me… calling me our mother's name. And sometimes yours. I can't say for certain, but I think I hear him crying at times, too. He lost his friend when Genma also disappeared, he lost his son-in-law, and, in a way, he has lost one of his daughters. It hurts me to see him like this, the way he was when Mother passed away. And still, no one has taken over the dojo for him; his pride aches as much as his heart, I think.

"And yet… I think we would have all let you go, if you had decided that this really wasn't what you wanted. It would have hurt, of course, but… not like this. Not when everything was finally alright, until you committed that act, and couldn't even keep hold of him - for our sakes if not your own - and not when Father found you on the roof, sobbing and carrying on."

Akane looked up in surprise.

"Father told me one night, when he was drunk," she explained. "He said, 'My baby girl, maybe it was too soon to tie the knot on such a free spirit. But she cried when he left; her heart loved him.' And I think that's what Father really cared about, most of all. He always wanted his daughters to be happy." Kasumi sighed. "I'm not angry. But I'm… I'm disappointed."

Akane's eyes filled with tears. Shampoo took this as her cue to make a hasty retreat into the kitchen, bringing her empty teacup with her.

"I can't really explain myself," Akane mumbled. "Because I don't get it. I thought I was happy. And then I thought, I'm going to spend the rest of my life like this, and I panicked, but I remembered how his room looked when he arrived. How bare it was, as if he could be here and then gone in an instant, and how he dumped all of his possessions out onto the floor the day before our wedding as if to say, 'Okay, this is where I will make my home'. That reassured me, for a while at least. All my life I wanted to get married, but I didn't think about the commitment involved. It was more than just cooking and cleaning, I had to _give _myself to someone, you know? I always hated how he got involved in my life, but when we were truly together, there was no more independence. Period.

"He didn't notice any of this until the last second, obviously. Not until we were screaming at each other after the… the incident. And he could have said, 'Look at all the sacrifices I've made, how scared I was to be bound to someone or something, but here I am with you', but he didn't. I guess this was one fight he didn't think he'd win, and he was done struggling, because he gave up, and he left me to lead my own life because he thought I'd be happier that way.

"But I'm not." Akane's voice hitched, and she wiped at the drops of moisture trailing down her cheeks. "I'm not… because…"

* * *

><p>There was a small TV in the kitchen. Shampoo flipped it on, attempting to drown out the sound of the two sisters' heart-to-heart. She hadn't expected all of this to be laid out just yet, but was relieved at the same time. Maybe afterwards, they could all go out, retrieve Akane's father and bring him home, and head somewhere for a peaceful, ladies' night out. She would like to do some catching up of her own with the eldest Tendo daughter.<p>

"… of women, particularly young women in their twenties, being assaulted…"

She glanced at the screen briefly, the line piquing her interest. A skinny, attractive slip of a reporter stared back at her, wearing a mask of concern and copious amounts of makeup, but Shampoo seemed to look through her as she listened. The kettle burbled next to her; the stove was still on. The report continued. "… was described as having long, unkempt hair with straight bangs…"

Her stomach clenched.

"… having very poor vision…"

A string of curse words, all in her native language, spilled from her lips, but she paused to hear what the reporter said next, hoping she wouldn't confirm what the Amazon already grimly suspected.

Here it was. "… and the trail of attacks seems to be leading to…"

It was this city.

Oh, _shit_.

* * *

><p>"Because I love him," she finished quietly, leaning into her sister's embrace.<p>

Just then, Shampoo stormed into the room, face flushed.

"Shampoo? What-?"

"Akane. We have very urgent situation at hand," the Amazon said, her Japanese slipping due to her frazzled state. "Is- It's Mousse. He's coming."

"Wait, coming? Coming here? What are you talking about?" Akane got to her feet, striding over to her friend and quickly wiping her eyes.

"Is a long story, and Sh- I don't have time to explain, but we need to stop him before he does any more damage." She swung open the door, looking back at Akane with fierce eyes.

"W-wait Shampoo, I really-" Akane's protests were abruptly silenced as the Amazon gripped her arm and literally yanked her out of the house and out into the street.

"Oh, my," Kasumi murmured. She stood that way for a moment, before reaching up to wipe away the stray shard of moisture that had trailed down her face and returning to the kitchen to clean up. Tea cups clinked as she set to work, the sound, coupled with the trickling faucet, relaxing her somewhat. Father would be coming home soon, and she needed a complete state of composure to greet him with. Oh, but she'd forgotten something in the living room...

* * *

><p>"Shampoo, what the hell is going on?" Akane demanded, still being dragged down the quiet streets by an agitated Amazon.<p>

"Before Shampoo return home to Japan, she receive phone call from Elder saying that Mousse had reappeared," the girl explained, too disturbed to focus on her grammar any longer. "Shampoo guess that he looking for her, because he finally lose it completely – always a little unstable – and it seem that Shampoo correct."

Akane let this sink in for a while, memories of the strange duck boy flitting through her mind. He had never seemed any worse in the mental department than any of the other members of the Nerima Wrecking Crew, although… the more she thought, the more she found him on an almost Kodachi level of dysfunction. This thought made her shudder; it had been Hell, but Nabiki had finally taken care of _that _situation for them.

But… Mousse wasn't seriously hurting anyone, was he?

As if reading her thoughts, Shampoo blurted, "Shampoo no hear how bad injuries were, but is no telling how far he go…"

"Aiyah!" she cried suddenly, coming to a halt. Akane stumbled into her back and grunted, but whipped her head to look as well. She didn't see a thing, and glanced at her companion in question.

"Is most definitely Mousse!" the Amazon declared. "Very sneaky, but Shampoo no fooled. But… but, he heading towards…" Shampoo's eyes widened and she cursed.

"What? What is it?" Akane demanded. "Wait. Wait. _Fuck. _Don't tell me…"

The two girls took off at a dead sprint. Their feet were silent against the pavement as they ran, and soon the new Tendo residence was within sight once again. They could hear the sounds of a disturbance even at this distance; several neighbors' lights had already flickered to life. They picked up the pace.

"So, what's the plan?" Akane panted as they reached the house, slowing to a jog. Shampoo followed suit.

"We bust in and kick his ass, of course," she said simply.

Akane nodded. She hadn't been expecting much else, really.

The window was wide open, with broken chunks of glass strewn about. Shampoo leapt inside and Akane clambered in after her.

Mousse… well, he looked like hell. That was the best way of describing it, Akane decided. If she had to pick something to compare him to, she would say… herself, after her husband left her. His eyes were vacant, like the undead, but held a cold fire that told her there was still some man left inside of him. Just, not the man she and Shampoo both knew. No, that person seemed long gone.

Kasumi was backed into a corner, doe-eyes wide and shining in terror as Mousse howled into her face. None of them could understand what he was shouting about; there was only frustration and anger. The duck boy, now man, seemed close to tears, but it was difficult to pity any man that would terrorize the eldest Tendo daughter.

Surprisingly, Akane got to him first. Her fist caught him right across his jaw, momentarily dazing him, before he turned and grabbed her wrist. She squirmed, enraged. Shampoo's foot lodged in his stomach, spinning away just in time to avoid his grasping fingers. She was surprised, and deeply unnerved, by his speed. Mousse had never been faster than her. Where had he gone? Had whatever broken his mind also improved his Art?

His hand caught a lock of her hair and dragged her to him, until she was almost nose to nose, and she cursed herself for her distraction. He inhaled harshly, ignoring both girls as they struggled against him, and his eyes darkened. "This smell…" he murmured.

He'd carried it with him, all this time? Shampoo bit her lip. No, she wouldn't think about that now. Besides, he'd made it crystal clear that it didn't matter to him whose bed he shared. Any woman would do. And Shampoo was not just any woman – she was an Amazon, and she would not be second best. That was her mistake in pursuing Ranma…

_Focus!_

Mousse was now only millimeters from her face, and without thinking, Shampoo slammed her forehead against his. He barely flinched, instead smashing his lips against hers. She choked and shrieked against his mouth, fighting for leverage to land a hit that would actually _damage _him.

His grip on Akane suddenly subsided as all of his attention was focused on the writhing Amazon. Akane acted without hesitation, swiping his feet out from under him. Shampoo was pulled to the ground with him, but with a sharp bite and a push she was looming over him, wiping her lips angrily. Akane pretended not to see the tears slipping down her pretty face as she moved over to stand next to her friend.

Mousse was up again in what seemed like an instant.

"Shampoo," he gasped, his voice haggard. "Shampoo. Shampoo."

She could only stare at him, face contorted in what seemed like both grief and disgust.

Akane glanced around for Kasumi, but couldn't find her.

The man lunged, sending all three of them sailing into the lamp. It tipped and shattered with a crash, the cord snapping and liquid sprinkling onto the floor. "Shit!" Akane cursed. Shampoo bit into Mousse's hand as he grabbed for her, but his other hand clenched her shoulder so tightly that she gave a muffled cry of pain. Finally wriggling an arm free, she shoved him back as Akane did the same. He stumbled away from them, still on his knees, and the look in his eyes was something neither of them could ever describe. Or forget.

Shampoo sensed the presence only an instant before it happened, too distraught to focus on anything other than the man in front of her. Akane had only caught a glimpse out of the corner of her eye before the deed was done.

The kettle smashed over his head, gripped tightly in the shaking hands of one Kasumi Tendo. Her pants were short and harsh, her face pale and eyes still wide as saucers. "Oh, my," she gasped, voice quivering. Mousse's eyes rolled back into his skull as he slumped forward. Shampoo cried out.

The water splashed from the kettle, onto the floor by the lamp.

In what seemed like only seconds, the entire room was a roaring wall of fire around them.

* * *

><p>The smoke burned her lungs. The sweat stung her eyes. Her nostrils were alive and aching.<p>

She reached for someone, anyone, but her hands only met the burning air. She had seen her sister, standing like a statue in the center of the room as she rushed toward her, but something collapsed – maybe some part of the roof? And her sister melted before her like a wax statue, and everything had gone black.

And now, as her panic suddenly spiked at the thought of her sister, the rest of the memories of the last couple of hours – hell, the last couple of _days _came flooding back and she cried because Ranma would never know that she still loved him, had never fallen out of love with him, because none of them would get their happily ever after and would probably never be able to move on from Nerima, and it would haunt them forever, never letting them go – except for her, because she was going to die, and Nerima couldn't hold onto the dead. Ranma could – maybe. That was something she hadn't thought about in years, hadn't wanted to think about, but now her mind was a live wire hissing and whipping around uncontrollably. Ranma could save her, but he wasn't here. He wasn't coming back.

Ranma. Her last coherent thought, before everything went dark again. Ranma. Ranma. Ranma.

* * *

><p>AN: Should be just one more chapter to go... gosh. I'm kind of excited. Thanks so much for reading, and for the wonderful reviews, and the faves and all that jazz. You have no idea how ecstatic I get whenever I see one of those notifications in my inbox. Gahh, so much love. See you next time.<p> 


	10. A place to call home

_Lost and Found_

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><p>"<em>Ranma<em>."

…

"Akane?"

She opened her eyes to meet a pair of piercing sapphires staring back at her. She blinked, and blinked again, trying to will the haziness away. The eyes before her seemed guarded, almost cold, and yet concern shone through like sunlight through the curtains, and the color was so familiar and soothing. Something warm and rough brushed her forehead, hypnotizing her. The haziness was overwhelming, and she stopped struggling. Her eyes fluttered shut again.

* * *

><p>He was asleep in the chair across the room the next time she awoke. She could hear his raucous snores, and greedy eyes snapped open wide to drink in the sight of him. It was nighttime, the window pulled open, moonlight washed over his tan skin. He sat, slumped over the chair like a discarded jacket, wearing his usual Chinese shirt and arm bracers, his hair slightly longer and face more chiseled and – was that <em>stubble?<em> – but really, she thought, it was almost as if he had never left. He looked as if he had been frozen in time on that final day that they spent together, never changing, while time had continued to eat away at her.

Time. She sighed, eyes caught in the dip of muscle between his shoulder and his arm, wondering how far apart they'd grown. How long had it even been now? The number of years escaped her. Three, she thought, 36 long and lonely months. These last few days had been the only exception, and even then, she could constantly feel the rift between her friends and herself. Poor, weak little Akane who couldn't take care of herself; was it out of friendship or pity that Shampoo and Ukyo had folded her back under their wings? Or a combination of both?

And Ranma. What was he doing here?

She had expected a rush of adrenaline, a scream of surprise, even fainting, but the drugs must have really been doing their job. She could only observe his sleeping form with a casual detachment, a muted roar in her ears as her pitiful thoughts of the last few days jumbled together. Ukyo. Shampoo. Love. Lust. Regret. Ranma. Happiness. It was like being in the kitchen, she thought, unable to read the labels of the ingredients, not sure of the recipe, trying to spice things up because it all seemed so _boring_, all of her childhood cooking catastrophes that had resulted in nothing but tears and frustration.

The ceiling seemed to churn to the rhythm of her ex-husband's heartbeat. Ranma. The ease of the name, singing in her ears and curling on the tip of her tongue, amazed her. The name she had avoided for so long because it brought back the memories of her failure.

"Ranma," she said aloud, testing it.

And suddenly, he stirred.

He stared at her, eyes still foggy with sleep, and she stared back, and he sighed and clutched his scalp with one hand as if aggravated.

She didn't know what to say to him. She wanted to apologize, to explain her erratic thoughts (or at least give it her best attempt) and to explain that she had finally got it all sorted out and he really was what she wanted after all, even if it meant having to give up her life of independence, because now she knew what it was like to be without him and she just couldn't stand it. But she was too young then, they were both too young to settle down before having even tasted the world; except now she had, and it was so bitter and dark, and she just wanted him back with her to stay.

Akane had always thought he would be the one to walk out. His room always so austere, things packed as if to leave in a moment's notice. That he would be the one to give in to the temptation of something new, and different, and to have second thoughts about the life he'd chosen.

But that simple kiss, and the realization that the lips she was tasting, as tainted with alcohol as they were, were not those of her husband's (and some small part of her _did know_, and liked it, she was sure of it)… that was enough for her to beat him to the punch. To ruin them.

But Akane didn't say any of this. She stared at him until the tears spilled from her eyes, but she didn't turn away, even as her breath hitched and her back shuddered with every restrained sob.

He had tried to move on, she knew; both Ukyo and Shampoo had let the cat out of the bag when they mentioned the letters. He must have wanted to find the real girl of his dreams. Because, well, hadn't she made it clear that it couldn't be her? That thought made her cry harder.

They stayed that way until she had exhausted herself of all tears, and Ranma quietly lifted himself up and padded to the window.

Somehow, she knew. She knew that if he leapt out of that window and into the darkness, that that fleeting image would be the last she saw of him, because he was _waiting for it_, he was waiting for her to say the words. Ranma would only stay if she asked him to. And even then, would he? After her indecisiveness had sent him away? Would he believe that she had finally touched ground and _knew,_ with all certainty, what she wanted?

He glanced back at her as he reached the window, and they locked eyes. Her lips were parted as if to speak, but no words came out. She felt like she was drowning. Why couldn't she do this? Was this what Ranma had gone through, trying to confess? But they had already gone through this once! She could do it again! She could!

_Come _on_, Akane!_

His form disappeared through the window.

…

…

Akane flung herself from the bed, IV ripped from her skin, eyes wild and hair flying crazily about her skull, mouth still gaping, feeling that something finally snap inside of her like a rush of cold air in her lungs. All she knew was that she had to reach the windowsill right that instant. Nothing else mattered except the open window just across the room.

She had only taken a single step before a hot flare of pain shot through her leg and she let out a strangled cry. "Ah!" Her body crumpled against her will, and she tried vainly to scramble across the floor to the open window. But she wasn't going to make it, Akane knew with dreadful certainty. Already the pain was dulling her vision, blackness seeping along the edges, and he had probably already vanished into the night and she would never see him again.

"_Ranma_!" she cried, feeling fresh, hot tears running down her face. Her leg throbbed with cold fury, and she could now feel a dull pain in her lower back and arms. The painkillers were wearing off…?

And suddenly strong arms were holding her, supporting her, carrying her back to her bed. In what felt like only a few moments, more arms were running over her body. The needle was quickly replaced, she registered vaguely. "Please stay," she mumbled, "please please stay." The blackness was quickly overtaking her. Something seemed vitally important, but she couldn't think what. She repeated herself a few times, the words not making sense, the world slowly fading, and then nothing made sense anymore.

* * *

><p>The next night she awoke, he was back again.<p>

Her harsh, relieved sobs woke him, and he was at her side in an instant, shushing her and scowling.

She proceeded to tell him all about her dreams of fire, and of being a little doll trapped in a burning house, and his expression darkened even further but he said nothing.

* * *

><p>The night after that, she found him looming over her, deep in thought.<p>

Without thinking, she reached out to pull him down to her face. Her lips searched for his, but he pulled away, disappearing through the window. She whispered, out loud, all of the things she couldn't say to his face for fear of his rejection, finishing with a hushed "I love you".

* * *

><p>The next time, he didn't pull away.<p>

* * *

><p>The fire had made the news, seeing as it had resulted in the capture of the man responsible for those assaults. Akane's name had been included in the list of those involved, and injured, at the scene. She assumed that was how Ranma had found out about the incident, but why that would have prompted him to check up on her, she didn't know and probably never would.<p>

When she was finally released from the hospital, all of her family was there to greet her, but he wasn't among them. She had scanned eagerly for his face among those gathered, but was met with disappointment.

Still, her family had seemingly put aside their disapproval of her and her shameful actions for just this one moment, and that was enough to warm her heart for the time being. Her father cried openly. Kasumi smiled with a misty gleam in her eyes. There was a single bandage around her arm and a hefty amount of cuts and bruises, but she was otherwise unscathed. She, along with Shampoo, had been rescued quickly. Only Mousse and Akane had been caught in the crossfire of the collapsing building.

Nabiki quickly looked her youngest sister over with calculating eyes and nodded to herself, shoulders sagging with visible relief.

They all came to hug her, careful of her injuries and, in Kasumi's case, her own. Akane leaned into each of their embraces, craving the touch of her family, and decided it would have to be enough.

The scars on her arms faded somewhat, but her back was still a mess, and she would have to undergo physical therapy for a while. There would be no dancing in her near future, or martial arts, to her disappointment.

Kasumi and their father had moved in with Shampoo for the time being, while Nabiki and Akane had both returned to their respective homes. Ukyo and Shampoo had rushed to her side as soon as they heard the news of her return to Nerima, with Ryoga conspicuously absent. The question was only half-voiced, Shampoo frowning and Akane looking concerned, before Ukyo shushed the both of them with a wave of her hand and a pained smile. She told them that all hope wasn't lost, and that was all she would say on the subject.

Mousse was awaiting trial, as all of the victims of the attacks had prosecuted. That was a topic that had been wisely avoided.

Shampoo promised that her family would be taken care of, easing Akane's anxieties. She felt she owed too much to Shampoo already, especially Kasumi's safety, but this concern was waved away with Shampoo's tinkling laughter.

Ukyo didn't hang around for very long, unable to stomach being in Nerima for extended periods of time.

Very soon, Akane was all alone again.

* * *

><p>She left the window open out of habit now, not because she actually expected him to return.<p>

It was just a stupid ritual of hers.

She sighed, slipping into her pajama pants and tugging the silky top over her head. Akane fixed her reflection with a hard look. The silver streak was there to stay, evidently, and somehow seemed even more prominent now than it had before. Dark circles marred the flesh under her eyes, and she had lost the color that always tinted her cheeks in her youth. Yet there was still _something_ of the old Akane there, she decided, lifting her shirt to examine her breasts. Yes, that insecurity was still present. Her hair may be longer, her hips and bust slightly fuller, but she'd never completely lost that athletic, tomboyish look. Still the same Akane.

She sighed, tugging her shirt down with one hand, and that was when she noticed it in the reflection.

A black pigtail flicking quickly out of sight.

Her heart nearly stopped right then and there.

Was she imagining things, now?

"Ranma?" she called hesitantly, stepping out into the hallway. No one there.

"Ranma?"

She frowned, once again receiving no answer. It was official; she was losing it.

And that's when he sheepishly stepped into view, having escaped into her bedroom, and she could only stand there and gawk as he scratched the back of his head and looked away.

"Your window was open," he offered.

"Ranma?" she asked dumbly, and for the third time. She blushed. Was that all she could say? _Really_? She tried for something more complex. "What are you doing here?"

Did that sound accusatory? Oh gods she was already fucking this up. Her heart was pounding like crazy. He cleared his throat then, and suddenly she was hanging on his every world.

"I… you told me not ta' leave," Ranma said slowly, looking her in the eye. She swallowed. "And I, uh, thought about it? And, well, that was somethin' that you wanted. It wasn't what I… wanted to hear, but it was a start. So I-I figured we were makin' progress."

He sounded so anxious, like the first time he confessed, and she furrowed her eyebrows at him in confusion. What did he have to be nervous about?

"… Akane?"

"Uh?"

"Do you want me ta' leave?"

She blinked. Was he that concerned about what she wanted? Now, of all times?

"All this time, I thought I was doin' what was best for you. But now, I'm just completely lost here… After I left, I thought about it, you know? And I sent letters ta' try to break everythin' off with all the other girls so they wouldn't get any ideas, but they never responded, and I thought by then you were all so angry with me that none of you wanted anythin' ta' do with me because I'd walked out on you." _Well, Shampoo _had _s__aid something like that, but that had only been to cheer her up. They all knew the truth... But..._

"You… walked out on me?"

He stared at her, now equally confused. "Er, yeah?"

She stuttered helplessly. "But, Ranma… I… with Ryoga… and then I couldn't even apologize for it! You can't expect someone to stay with a girl who doesn't even know if she wants to be there!" She shook her head vehemently. "You didn't walk out! You didn't, Ranma!"

"But I did! I should've waited, should've trusted you to sort it all out and for us ta' make up like we always do…"

"But what if I hadn't? Who'd want to stay in a relationship like that?"

Ranma stepped forward, voice rising fiercely. "I would! 'Cuz I'd 've been with you, and we would'a worked it out together! I left you alone like that! Why should you have to go through a-a midlife crisis by yourself, huh?"

"A… a what?"

"It was a… term… I heard while I was travelin' around…"

"Um, Ranma, we were only twenty-one then…"

"So that's not right?"

"Uh, no."

"Well, then what _was_ your deal?"

Akane smiled at his helpless look. Three years, they'd both been through hell, all because they apparently couldn't communicate like normal couples.

They were hopeless.

"This isn't going to work, you know," she told him matter-of-factly. "If we fall apart after just one little hitch, and we can't talk to each other."

"So we wait ta' make up with each other. Only took three years this time, and neither of us was even mad."

"But Ranma, that's the point! Do you really want to wait three years every time one of us is a little unsure of ourselves?"

"Yes," he replied, so surely that Akane was stunned into silence.

"I missed you, so much." And suddenly his voice was husky and low, and he was pressing her against the wall. She leaned into his touch automatically, her body singing with joy at the sudden rainfall in the scorching and barren desert that was life without Ranma, before regaining her wits and trying to squirm out of his grip. Unsuccessfully.

"Ranma, no!" she growled, fixing him with an angry look. The effect was muddled by her lust-filled eyes, and he grinned boyishly. "This won't fix our problems."

"No, but it's step one."

"Ranma!"

She had missed him so much, too. How could she have wanted anything else? Thoughts of Ryoga, of a life abroad, of a life without _him_ there to watch her back, all of these thoughts slipped out of her mind at the feel of his hands on her shoulders.

He noticed her tears before she did.

He buried his nose in the crook of her neck, muttering, "I wanna make those dark circles of yours go away. Didja even notice mine, 'Kane?"

She looked into his face, and saw.

"And that gray streak is kinda cute, but you don't really wan' another, do you?"

She sighed.

"It's gonna be okay from now on. I promise."

"You can't promise something like that. I don't know myself anymore. You don't either. And I don't know you."

"So we can do this whole courtin' thing all over again." He lifted her up, purposefully sliding his hands underneath her top to enjoy the smooth feel of her skin under his hands.

"You just gotta believe in us."

His words were tempting. Really. But she was having her doubts… What if…?

As if reading her thoughts, he brought his lips right to the shell of her ear. "Just stop with the what if's, 'Kane, 'cuz you're not gettin' away from me again."

His lips met hers. She was surprised at the hunger in her returning kiss, how eagerly her mouth slid against his. He was as velvety smooth and hot as she remembered, her tongue slipping inside his mouth, and she could taste her own toothpaste on him. She remembered how this had felt the first time around, and thought, this time was almost better.

Because now, she knew what it was like without him.

It was like a giant game of hide and seek, she thought, and they'd both found her in the end. So, maybe, they'd both won? Could she really believe that?

He groaned, low in his throat, and she shuddered pleasantly and gripped his pigtail with one hand.

Yes. For now, she could.

* * *

><p>AN: So, that's it. Um. Don't stay in unhealthy relationships, kids. Your hair will go gray.<p>

..

.

Thanks for sticking with me and my lazy updating, those-of-you-who-actually-read-this-story. Parts of it turned out the way I wanted, but other parts I'm still not totally happy with. So if this story pops up again, it's because I edited something I didn't like. For now, enjoy the good-enough ever-after.


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Ranma, Drama, Hurt-Comfort